May your day be full of pink, hearts, chocolate, and love!
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Friday, February 14, 2014
Happy Valentine's Day!
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personal
Friday, February 7, 2014
Life via iPhone | Fall 2013
This doesn't even begin to capture the extent of my fall, but does highlight some of the small joys during those months! Here's a peek into the best season of the year!
-fun behind the scenes sneak peek from a secret photoshoot
-first pumpkin spice latte of the season, but definitely not the last!
-tapas and dessert at Living Well's Gala
-tonight just confirmed the face that I greatly dislike guesstures, but empire kinda got me when my "name" won over the entire group!
-settling in for the long night of work with psl to keep the peepers open
-my family knows me too well! cute stationery and lemon smelling hand soap for my b'day!
-fresh fruit and veggies make the best table decor!
-chocolate chip oatmeal pancakes + les mis music to the start the birthday
-know this Daesy Grace, you are loved and wanted. your story is a picture to all of God's love and goodness!
-my beautiful flowers from Art in Bloom Flowers
-<3 able="" as="" being="" cutie="" hold="" i="" much="" p="" pie="" this="" to="" want="">-last night with this sweet baby girl, so of course that means a photo shoot and polka dot bow!
-nothing like espresso chocolate chip cookies in the morning
-ice skating and pretending it's actually a cold winter!
-Thanksgiving walk, so much to be thankful for!
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personal
Monday, February 3, 2014
Life via iPhone | Summer 2013
I could say that the freezing cold outside is making me nostalgic for those warm sunshine days of summer, and while that might slightly be true, the real reason for this post in the dead of winter is because I'm so behind on my Life via iPhone series! But even a glimpse at my old posts reminds me of why I want to get back on track and keep going with it.
So often we get caught up in the day to day and preparing for the next big event that we forget those small moments that make up life. It's about treasuring those memories, being grateful for the experiences, and capturing them not only to reminisce later on, but to be able to pass them on to future generations! While some people erect monuments or post plaques, I blog so as not to forget!
-celebrating the 4th of July Martha Stewart style
-the baby squirrel I saved from my cute, but deadly, kitties
-oh, just spoiling the brother who came to visit
-plums from our tree bathed in beautiful California sunset light
-summer sand volleyball turned into soccer under the blue skies this year
-camping with the church fam
-including our annual "lack of talent" night
-favorite moment of that week--father baptizing son in the clear, blue waters of Tahoe
-our annual 5-day club turned into a whole vbs w/some of the original kids helping as leaders this year
-during nasty online attacks, my sister reminded me that He is my Fortress and Comforter!
-homemade peach ice cream
-milkshake tasting with a PHC buddy
-came across this sweet note from last summer--so blessed by my brides & grooms!
-last coffee shop night with friends before they leave for school
-enjoying every last summer night before it ends
-about to try my first five guys burger
-Sunset Point, Bryce Canyon National Park
-Temple of Sinawava, Zion National Park
-from summer showers in Utah to the desert heat of Death Valley National Park
-origami at the Manzanar memorial monument
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personal
Monday, December 9, 2013
A Legacy of Hope
Snow, canceled Christmas parties, and a couple days of just catching up on life and seeking God's direction for the new year was the extent of my weekend plans. As I sat in my sister's room updating QuickBooks, she asked if I had heard an update on Abby recently. I hadn't so she searched around online for a bit and then said quietly, "I think she died today."
It was just in January that I cried watching Abby bravely share the story of her battle with cancer and started praying for her healing. And this weekend as I cried again watching her faithful testimony to the end, I knew that the prayers of many were answered when she was healed once and for all at the feet of Jesus!
Like she said in her last video, most of us don't get to see the full impact that our lives have made, but she was wrong to believe that she did. What she saw was just the tip of the iceberg. Even in death her life continues to encourage and inspire thousands of people around the world. Her legacy is one of hope which she found in Jesus Christ!
She lived and she loved.
Thank you, Abby
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personal
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
The Definition of Success
Even in a creative industry like photography, success is often measured by numbers. How many times have you been published, how many followers do you have, how much do you charge for weddings... And while defining success by meeting goal numbers might work for some, that's not the kind of life I desire.
For me, photography is not a career, but a passion. It's a means of self-expression and a way to capture the beauty and reality of these moments that make up life. As a business, it's a way to take what I love and share it with others while adding to the economy of my home. Right now that's as a daughter and sister, but hopefully someday as a wife and mother!
Reading another photographer's post, I was reminded again to put aside the fear of man and what others may think of me, and embrace my own definition of success. Yes, I do have another job as a barista at a coffee/gift/florist shop. But I love it! I don't need to justify those 10 hours a week and worry that they may not take me seriously as a photographer. Even when those fears were realized this summer when I received a referral from a sweet lady because I wasn't a "big pro"... :-)
But it doesn't matter. This is the life I want. And even more importantly, this is the life that God has set before me, and I am so thankful to walk in the way!
So for me, success is much more than the number of clients I have or earning a certain amount of income. It's being able to create a life of freedom: from debt, to minister to others, to work with clients I love, to develop and nurture friendships, to pursue other interests, to play sports, to work with my family, to travel, and to be open to new opportunities!
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personal
Friday, August 9, 2013
Fav Picks | A Sniff of Lemon
Ahhh, there's just something about the scent of lemon that gets me! It's clean, fresh, and has just the right amount of that citrus zing! So when I find a product I like that smells like lemon, I'm over the moon excited! Here are just a few of my fav finds!
- yes, good smelling hand soap is always a plus
- looked for this kind of shampoo for years before it showed up at Grocery Outlet
- so sad that Bath & Body no longer sell this, so I'm enjoying every last drop
- yep, this lemon verbena candle from Target ties with pumpkin spice for fav candle scent!
- and if you follow me on instagram @lydiaspics, you'll also see more of my discoveries like lemon ginger tea!
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personal
Friday, July 19, 2013
Life via iPhone | Spring 2013
Somehow in between vacation, getting back to normal life, and wedding season beginning, I feel like I missed the beginning of summer! And now it's half over! But going through pictures on my iPhone, I'm reminded of all the moments, big and small, that make up this beautiful thing called life!
-pretty new summer lip color in Pinup Peach
-dos gatos trying to keep cool and taking over the dog bed while they're at it
-a fun surprise tucked away at Squirrel Creek Ranch, my new fav wedding venue
-since starting to use Gevalia coffee, homemade lattes are the best!
-enjoying the weather, cheering on friends
-new fav—lemon ginger tea
-amazing location of our Showit shootout—Northstar House
-pretty homegrown flowers from friends
-sweetest "just because" gift ever
-scones and devonshire cream with an old PHC friend
-partial shoulder dislocations and a hurt back made me grateful for health and more
-Mother's Day brunch for one special mommy!
-Black Collar wanting to go for a ride
-washed my hands twice in a row just to smell the different soap scents
-new best friends
-determination: phone dying in the middle of taking a picture and having to wait to eat the cupcake until it's charged again
-helping out at a friend's yard sale and trying not to buy all the treasures for myself
-cranberry rosemary spritzers
-drinking some of the most expensive coffee in the world—kopi luwak. google it and tell me I'm not adventurous!
-"Lydia" roses
-baby jack is growing up
-think this will keep the raccoons out of the cat food?
-coconut and espresso? two of my favorites in perfect combination!
-pearls + gingham = perfect camp attire
-laughing at this cute kitty as I got my hair did
-walking tacos Pennsylvania style
-sunset over the clouds as we fly homeward to California
-loved how Jessica and Timothy spruced up her family's barn
-cutest salt and pepper set
-lots of laughs with my amazing Showiteer group!
Ok, after looking through my phone, I kinda admit I have a thing for cute animals and fun drinks! What do your camera phone pictures say about you?!
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personal
Friday, April 12, 2013
Behind the Scenes | The Big List
I love organization. Binders, post-it notes, label makers, oh my! But while I've gotten great at downloading and making lists, my time management skills are...well, let's just say it's a constant growing point!
So I tried all the helpful apps like Teux Duex, Trello, and Things (notice the Trend??). But there's just something about writing a list on a piece of paper and being able to cross it out that's just so motivating! Yet I was still feeling overwhelmed by all I had to do and wasting time going between different lists and projects.
As the new year rolled around, I wanted to set up new systems that would help me organize my life that much more to make the best use of my time and actually get things done! Working from three different pieces of paper while wondering what happened to that fourth random list was no longer cutting it.
Enter: The Big List.
It's so simple that I wonder why I didn't think of it myself! Whenever I have a project, or really anything that must be done, I write it down all in one notebook. It's a continuous list, all in one place. Then each night I grab a post-it and list out everything I want to accomplish the next day, selected from The Big List. Some day it's more, some less, depending on the day. Everything from exercising to getting ready to what emails I need to write are on that post-it note. Then each night I go back to The Big List, cross out what was accomplished that day, and create a new post-it.
Duh, right?! Trust me, all of a sudden that thing I've been putting off becomes so urgent when it's the last thing left to cross out on my post-it note! Call me easily motivated, but I've got to end here so I can go cross "blog post" off today's list!
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personal
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Life via iPhone | Winter 2013
Northern California decided to welcome spring by leaping from 70* weather to gray clouds and water falling from the sky. But since our winter was uncommonly dry and even warm, it's a change the plants need for the coming summer months!
Here's my tribute via iPhone to some of the highlights from this last season. And here's to hoping for at least a little more time with scarves, cardigans, and riding boots!
-new recipe: cranberry bread for the neighbors
-official hot chocolate taster
-caroling 2012--mud. stuck. tow. sing. rain. sweets. fun.
-the most awesome gingerbread house of all time
-coffee with a little catch phrase and ping pong
-learning pinochle Christmas style
-new recipe: mushroom spinach avocado appetizers
-scones--a Sheri tradition
-hadn't bowled in ages
-can you tell?
-like any girl, gotta take a pic to see which necklace I like
-tradition--light searching on Christmas Eve
-present to my puppy from friends in Guam
-A+ way to do hot chocolate
-sister got an espresso maker for Christmas = jackpot for me!
-while I <3 2nd="" a="" close="" coffee="" is="" p="" this="">-for my house someday? yes please!
-my new constant source of amusement
-old screen door = wedding fair backrop
-a little homemade confetti to liven up my inspiration packets
-hard core volleyball in 30* weather
-business class a la #mobileoffice
-my little namesake and her sweet new sister
-strawberry lemon pound cake 2/15 style
-the way to my heart--dove chocolate and starbucks' mugs
-long rides home from Napa Valley = gummy worms + starbucks
-the plan is to shoot a wedding here someday
-ombre drinks at the Curly Wolf with friends
-planning + dreaming
-a little bovine audience at a shoot
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personal
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Merry Christmas
"Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown
when Thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem's home was there found no room
for Thy holy nativity.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus
There is room in my heart for Thee!"
I hope you had a wonderful day with family and friends celebrating the Prince of Peace and Lord of Love!
when Thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem's home was there found no room
for Thy holy nativity.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus
There is room in my heart for Thee!"
I hope you had a wonderful day with family and friends celebrating the Prince of Peace and Lord of Love!
Hot Chocolate Ornaments - a sweet gift I made for my friends
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personal
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Not Just Another Friday Night
A goal of my blog that I've seemed to lose sight of is to keep a journal of sorts of my life. The ups and downs of running a business, trips and new experiences, and of course showing off my amazing clients.
But it's also about being real about who I am and what I truly value and love most. I never was a diary kind of girl and gave up scrapbooking long ago, so this is really the only record keeper I have to look back on. So for the sake of posterity, I want to do a better job of capturing these memories--in words and in pictures.
Friday night I did one of the scariest things of my life. Ok, that might seem like an exaggeration...but for those who haven't known me long, I'm actually very shy. Coming to realize that shyness for me was really based on pride (what will people think of me??) and fear of man (what will people think of me??), it's something I've worked on over the years.
So going to a public event to walk up to strangers and speak to them unsolicited--kinda intimidating! And it wasn't like I hadn't done things similar to this, but it was different enough to make the butterflies in my stomach dance like they were caught up in a winter storm.
I told my mom that day that it really wasn't something I wanted to do, but needed to do. What's the use of believing something if you don't share it? And after reading about the horrific shooting in Connecticut, I was even more convinced I had to go.
So I layered up, packed my purse, grabbed some hand warmers, and left to pick up my sister. There's no backing out when someone else is involved!
We walked up to the Del Oro Theatre to meet the rest of the group, prayed, and separated into smaller groups. Game on. And while the nervousness never fully left, it was the most exhilarating experience of my life! There were times I was tempted to just hand out the info and leave, but the conviction to stop and actually have a conversation wouldn't let me go.
I met so many young people who had never realized the seriousness that their actions had on their eternal destiny. And what Jesus had done to offer them complete forgiveness and salvation!
Christmas is so much more than shopping, presents, and food. It's the celebration of God becoming man so that He could make the ultimate sacrifice as the once for all payment for our sin!
On the way home, I just felt like a water fountain bubbling over with joy. It's a lesson that God has been teaching me over and over again: He rewards obedience! Sure, it was hard and not everyone always wanted to listen. I had to deal with rejection, funny looks, and people suddenly becoming deaf when I tried to speak to them. But He is always faithful--to strengthen, to lift up, to embolden, to give the right words.
Honestly, I don't know if it will ever be easy, but I want this to be a memorial of sorts to myself. In times of doubt and temptation, I can look back at this moment and remember. It's all part of the journey of life and one more step towards my life's goal: to glorify my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in all I do!
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personal
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Life via iPhone | Fall 2012
I had grand plans for this fall. Weddings would be wrapping up so I'd have plenty of time for planning, blogging, and creating marketing pieces. Ha!
As Thanksgiving has wrapped up and people have become focused on shopping, more eating, and parties, there is one person I still want to publicly say I'm thank for: you. Thank you for trusting me with some of the most important moments of your life! Thank you for following along on my journey! Without your support, there would be no Lydia Photography, so I'm not lying when I say I couldn't do it without you!
Fall was busy, but looking back, I'm so grateful for a business that allows me to travel, try new things, and invest in the people around me!
Fall through the lens of my iPhone:
-first pumpkin spice latte of the season
-background music for my traveling office
-birthday oreo
-Monday night volleyball
-shooting with friends
-old fashion soda is just so photogenic
-last bbq of the year
-mini apple pie
-first visit to The Curly Wolf--I'm addicted!
-first Dutch Bros. coffee
-artichokes 12/$1? yes please!!
-Greek coffee in Santa Cruz
-and the yummy food to go with
-Santa Cruz boardwalk
-trying lattes in every city
-walking down Cannery Row
-Monterey clam chowder
-I wouldn't mind shooting a wedding here
-Pacific Ocean
-honey vanilla latte at the Grand Luxe Cafe in L.A.
-and the counterpart amazingly yummy pizza
-came home to find this visitor stealing the cat food
-last wedding of the year
-Thanksgiving!
-so thankful to live in such a beautiful place
-pies galore
-fav coffee cafe in Sacramento after ice skating
-best chai ever at Valentina's
-worst Burt's Bees ever
-freezing at a softball game and admiring the moon
-new recipe--pork roast surrounded by apples and sweet potatoes
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personal
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Styled Shoots | How To
I know it's a small world out there, but sometimes the connections in life throw me through a loop. A fun, exciting loop that is as opposed to rollercoasters which just make me sick. :-)
Years and years ago I started following a photographer online from the city of Chicago. She was about my age and doing things in photography that amazed me. She ended up mentoring another girl in Maryland who then turned around and shared her knowledge with a girl from Texas.
We were all young, loved photography, and were working hard to start our businesses. So when I heard that the girl from Texas was coming out to California, I just had to check and see if she would be coming near me. Imagine my shock when I found out that not only did we have a mutual friend, but she would be staying with her just over the other side of my hill!
And now she's getting married! So it was such a privilege to guest post on her blog today to share some tips for putting together a styled shoot! Please go check it out and let me know what you think!
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Yummy Food and a Little Bling
People keep asking me how I celebrated my birthday. I just have to laugh and say the day was spent doing errands and returns and coming home sick. But it was the simple things that made the day special. Happy birthday oreos from my sister, a pumpkin spice latte, finding a penny on the ground, mini sugar lip glosses from sephora, and ending with the traditional pizza from Mountain Mike's and cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory. And just maybe a sparkly necklace was thrown in there somewhere!
No excuse needed to buy a pumpkin spice latte when it's my birthday!
Happy birthday oreos? Why yes!
A new twist on the tradition with enough for leftovers!
Found this just outside my car door--must be my lucky birthday!
A little sparkly from la familia that I've been sporting with everything!
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personal
Monday, September 17, 2012
Summer Road Trippin' 2
There were really two things I was most excited about on our trip: 1) visiting with our cousins who drove out from Pennsylvania and 2) seeing all the wildlife. Well, I'm sure happy the cousins were there because the bears, moose, wolves, and (most of the) bulls decided they were tired of having their picture taken and stayed hidden the whole time! But still, it was a once in a lifetime experience that my family decided only need to happen once in this lifetime. These road trips the past couple of years have been an adventure that we're happy to switch back over to taking an airplane next summer!
Even the fish didn't want to come out of hiding!
So grateful that the bison were willing to walk down the road and graze in empty fields once in awhile. We also got glimpses of a muskrat, a sick coyote, and a couple of otters.
The bulls were just starting to bugle while were we there, and it was fun to see the cows and calves congregating in the fields.
Old Faithful and one of the many ravens who wanted to steal our food. The ravens bringing food to Elijah really was a miracle!
Life is funnier since I started collecting quotes again:
Liz: To this California girl, that [picture of a] snowmobile looks like an Aquatrax.
Montana's centennial train in West Yellowstone.
The second week of our trip we headed down to Colorado and back across on our journey home.
Sacajawea cemetery and memorial in Ft. Washakie, Wyoming.
One of the funny signs along the way. Just be glad I spared you the one about buying antlers!
Coffee and colored vitamins!
Think I have enough tea to last me for awhile? Stocking up at Celestial Seasonings in Boulder, Colorado.
Visited the Air Force Academy and walked to the chapel.
Can I just say I'm so thankful for our armed forces and so glad I don't have to do anything like this!
Fulfilled a childhood dream of visiting Whit's End and sliding down the 3-story slide in Colorado Springs, Colorado!
Julia: Get the picture!
Lydia: Help! My seatbelt is locked!
Julia: *unbuckles Lydia's seatbelt*
Lydia: Thanks for being concerned about my safety first!
Lydia: "I'm either really funny late at night or just tired and think I am!"
Arches National Park, Moab, Utah
Delicate Arch on the right
"He's got the whole world in His hands."
Liz: Are you a diamond or pearls kind of girl?
Julia: Both
Double rainbow in Holden, Utah
Last bit of blue skies before driving into the thunderstorms!
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personal
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